BCCLA reacts to letter calling for Anti-SLAPP legislation

VANCOUVER (8 February 2017) – The BC Civil Liberties Association reacted this morning to the letter sent to from 15 legal luminaries to the BC Attorney General asking for anti-SLAPP legislation in BC.

Staff Counsel Meghan McDermott stated: “It is very encouraging to see our pleas for legislation reflected in this open letter to the Attorney General. British Columbians have been paying the price for government inaction on this front for too long. Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPPs) are often used by wealthy and powerful parties to threaten and silence those who express themselves, and to discourage others from doing so. These lawsuits target local citizens and resident groups who voice concerns about public matters. People have been sued for speaking at public meetings, for protesting and even for circulating petitions. Both Ontario and Quebec have laws to shield their residents from such tactics. We hope that this call for law reform will finally tip the scales and persuade the provincial government to protect public participation rights.